By Kanyshai Butun
ISTANBUL (AA) - US Democrats are refusing to extend the latest deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a move that could lead to the department shutting down on Friday, The Washington Times reported Tuesday.
According to the outlet, Democratic lawmakers say there is still time to reach a full-year funding agreement within three days -- including provisions that would limit immigration enforcement -- and argue that extending Friday’s deadline would reduce the urgency to strike a deal.
“I’m just not right now prepared to give them more money without reform,” Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan said.
“The Republicans need to provide a serious counterproposal,” said Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, adding that Democrats “don’t need” a short-term funding bill.
Republicans, however, argued that a two-week temporary extension of DHS funding beyond the Jan. 30 deadline would not provide enough time to resolve the parties’ disagreements over immigration enforcement, despite Democrats insisting on the stopgap measure.
“The Democrats took the better part of a week and a half to get their proposal in. And now the White House has reacted to it, responded and submitted a counterproposal, which the Democrats are evaluating,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican, citing that as “progress.”
The DHS spending bill provides funding for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol, agencies running US President Trump’s deportation efforts that Democrats want to overhaul.
A White House official told The Washington Times that the administration is continuing “constructive conversations” with members of both parties.
“President Trump wants the government to remain open and for critical services to remain funded,” the official said.
According to the report, Democrats are demanding stricter ICE regulations, limits on enforcement powers, greater local authority over operations, and a ban on arrests near “sensitive” locations such as hospitals, churches, courts, and schools.